Six Denim DIYs That Can Turn Disastrous

Every year around Memorial Day weekend, I take an afternoon to assess and sort through my post-winter denim situation. For cooler summer days, I keep a few lighter washes and distressed pairs in my dresser; meanwhile, heavier styles go straight into storage. Anything that doesn’t fall into one of those categories (i.e. jeans I haven’t worn for over six months and probably won’t wear for the next six, either) gets chopped into shorts.

Assuming that my co-workers had a similar system in place, I mentioned this annual ritual at work last week—and, duuuuude, was I ever wrong. Not only were they shocked and horrified by the idea of homemade cutoffs, but had no shortage of reasons as to why store-bought shorts are better: a looser, more comfortable leg opening, better distressing, no errant frayed strings that go down to your knee.

Soon the conversation shifted to denim DIYs in general and how they never, ever seem to pan out. Below are the six most disastrous repurposed jean projects they’ve ever encountered. So don’t try them yourself. (Except maybe cutoffs, which I still make the old-fashioned way. We just won’t tell them that.)